Arsenal: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain Injury Prolongs Creative Purgatory

Arsenal’s pantsing at the hands of Manchester City was rather saddening, but the fact that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is out adds further frustration.

Arsenal did the same thing a second time and the same thing happened. A second time. As I have mentioned, this was the exact same strategy that Wenger employed against Everton, only City defended a bit better.

Related: Arsenal’s 30 Greatest Players Ever

It was a massive creative slump yet again for Arsenal and you can’t help but look to Mesut Ozil and wonder why the hell he isn’t doing anything.

The Gunners are in this creative purgatory where hardly anything is coming off and the personnel that they have doesn’t exactly support a removal from that purgatory any time soon. Especially not when Ozil temporarily looks like he was meant to be an accountant rather than a midfielder.

The good thing, though, about what the Gunners have going is that even when they are creatively stumped, they can turn to some subs that offer a different style of creativity.

Take for instance Giroud, who suddenly gives the Gunners an aerial target man that can turn the tide of the game with a well delivered cross or corner.

Take Iwobi, for instance, who when he is on his game (which has been tough to find lately) can dribble through defenses with ease.

And then there is the Ox. The tragic hero of the Gunners past five years, the Ox is having his best season yet and his ability to create for himself is a massive part of Arsenal’s last-ditch efforts to steal a late goal.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 observations from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park

Well, the Ox came up with a flat tire in his substitute appearance.

Meaning that, assuming that he is out for this Christmas period, Arsenal is in one hell of a pickle. They will be confined to the same minds that have produced these past two 2-1 stinkers. Iwobi, Ozil and Walcott, the flailing brain trust that can’t seem to crack an opposing defense.

Alexis will obviously always be the fearless commander, but without a legitimate, creative supporting cast, he is only going to get more and more isolated.

Hopefully Ramsey can come back soon, because even his added bit of creative innovation could spark something the Gunners desperately need – a different point of view on these same old attacking progressions.

Next: Wenger's 10 Worst Signings Ever

Again, at least West Brom is next. They could play right into what the Gunners need in that they aren’t exactly gung-ho for pressing the ball.